Last Updated September 17, 2026
Conditions Center · Hematological · Social Security Disability
Also called anemia, hemophilia, thrombocytopenia, aplastic anemia, clotting disorder.
Anemia, hemophilia, platelet disorders, or bone marrow failure can support SSDI or SSI when hospitalizations, transfusions, or repeated complications meet Listing 7.00, or when fatigue, bleeding risk, and absences rule out sustained work. SSA evaluates the specific diagnosed blood disorder, the required medical findings, treatment history, complications, and resulting functional limitations rather than a single abnormal laboratory result or symptom alone.
What are Blood Disorders?
NHLBI describes anemia as too few red cells or too little hemoglobin, with many causes. Hemophilia and von Willebrand disease impair clotting. Thrombocytopenia is low platelets. Aplastic anemia is bone marrow failure. Treatment may include iron, factors, transfusions, immunosuppression, or transplant. Iron-deficiency from diet is often reversible and is not listing-level disease by itself.
Common symptoms of Blood Disorders
- Fatigue, pallor, or shortness of breath from anemia
- Bleeding, bruising, or joint bleeds in clotting-factor disorders
- Clots in hypercoagulable states
- Infections when white cells are low
- Transfusion reactions or iron overload in chronic transfusion programs
How can Blood Disorders affect a person’s ability to work?
- Unpredictable absences for bleeding, clotting, fever, or transfusion
- Reduced lifting or standing during severe anemia
- Hazard limits when platelets or factors are low
- Infection precautions during neutropenia
- Recovery time after transplant under 7.17
Does Social Security have a Listing for Blood Disorders?
Social Security currently has listing criteria that may apply: 7.08 (Disorders of thrombosis and hemostasis); 7.10 (Disorders of bone marrow failure); 7.17 (Hematological disorders treated by bone marrow or stem cell transplantation); 7.18 (Repeated complications of hematological disorders); 7.05 (Hemolytic anemias, including sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and their variants). Meeting a listing requires the specific medical findings in that listing, not only the diagnosis.
- Listing 7.08: Disorders of thrombosis and hemostasis
- Listing 7.10: Disorders of bone marrow failure
- Listing 7.17: Hematological disorders treated by bone marrow or stem cell transplantation
- Listing 7.18: Repeated complications of hematological disorders
- Listing 7.05: Hemolytic anemias, including sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and their variants
Listing 7.00 is for non-malignant hematological disorders. Malignant blood cancers are 13.00 except specified HIV-associated lymphomas under 14.11. 7.08 requires complications of clotting or bleeding disorders with at least three hospitalizations in 12 months, 30 days apart, each at least 48 hours. 7.10 covers bone marrow failure (including aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndromes) by a similar hospitalization path or life-long RBC transfusions at least once every 6 weeks for MDS or aplastic anemia. 7.17 considers disability for at least 12 months from bone marrow or stem cell transplant. 7.18 is repeated complications with marked limitation in listed functional areas when 7.05, 7.08, or 7.10 numeric findings are not met. Sickle cell and thalassemia details live on the sickle-cell-disease page (7.05).
SSA needs laboratory proof of the hematological disorder as 7.00B describes. It then applies 7.05, 7.08, 7.10, 7.17, or 7.18 to the documented pathway. If no listing is met, RFC addresses fatigue, hazards, and attendance. Sickle cell disease is evaluated under Listing 7.05 and is discussed in more detail on the dedicated sickle cell disease guide.
Can you qualify if you do not meet an SSA Listing?
Yes. Anemia or clotting disorders that miss the hospitalization counts may still preclude work through fatigue and attendance RFC.
What medical evidence may help document Blood Disorders?
- Physician-interpreted laboratory diagnosis of the specific disorder
- Hematology notes and a hospitalization calendar that can be counted
- Transfusion records for 7.10’s lifelong-transfusion pathway
- Transplant date for 7.17
- Joint, stroke, or infection complications for 7.18
Testing, imaging, and laboratory studies
- Definitive hematology labs as 7.00B requires; SSA will not purchase clotting-factor or bone-marrow tests
- Serial hemoglobin when 7.05C is considered on a hemolytic-anemia claim
- Official listing criteria control any numeric thresholds; this overview does not replace the specific requirements of the applicable listing.
Factor prophylaxis, iron repletion, and transplant all change the listing path. Reversible iron deficiency that corrects with treatment is usually not 7.10.
How SSA may evaluate residual functional capacity
Fatigue between hospitalizations can affect residual functional capacity when it is medically supported. Hazard exposure may also be relevant for people with bleeding disorders or neutropenia.
Common issues that can weaken a disability claim involving Blood Disorders
A claim may be harder to support when it relies on a single low hemoglobin result, confuses iron-deficiency anemia with aplastic anemia, or lacks the medical records needed to establish the specific hematological disorder and its complications.
What may strengthen the medical documentation
A named hematologic diagnosis, countable hospitalizations, and transfusion or transplant records when those pathways are used.
Blood Disorders and related medical conditions
- Chronic Kidney Disease — Current Listing 6.00 includes separate pathways for ongoing dialysis, kidney transplant, impaired kidney function with complications, and repeated CKD hospitalizations.
- Deep Vein Thrombosis — There is no adult listing titled deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Chronic post-thrombotic venous disease may be evaluated under Listing 4.11, while lasting pulmonary-embolism complications may be considered under applicable respiratory or cardiovascular rules. If no listing is met, SSA considers the remaining functional limitations.
- HIV — SSA evaluates HIV infection under Listing 14.11 through several pathways involving specified manifestations, laboratory findings, hospitalizations, or repeated manifestations with the required functional limitation. If the listing is not met, SSA considers the documented effects of HIV and treatment through the remaining disability evaluation.
- Lupus — Systemic lupus can affect joints, skin, kidneys, lungs, blood, or the nervous system. Listing 14.02 requires defined organ involvement or repeated manifestations with serious functional limits.
- Lymphoma and Leukemia — SSA evaluates lymphoma under Listing 13.05 and leukemia under Listing 13.06. SSA's current Compassionate Allowances list includes Adult Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Acute Leukemia, and other specifically named blood cancers. The applicable listing analysis depends on the exact diagnosis, treatment course, response, relapse history, and transplant status.
- Sickle Cell Disease — SSA evaluates sickle cell disease under Listing 7.05. Specified crises, hospitalizations, hemoglobin findings, or transfusion-related criteria may satisfy the listing. If the listing is not met, SSA considers documented complications and remaining functional limitations.
How Brock & Stout may help
We identify 7.08 versus 7.10 versus 7.05, verify aplastic-anemia CAL only when that diagnosis is documented, and point sickle cell to its own guide. Representation cannot guarantee approval.
Frequently asked questions
There is no listing titled only “anemia.” Hemolytic anemias are Listing 7.05. Bone marrow failure, including aplastic anemia, is 7.10. Other anemias are evaluated through those listings, 7.18, related body systems, or RFC.
Aplastic anemia appears on SSA’s current CAL list. SSA still requires medical evidence. Ordinary iron-deficiency anemia is not a CAL condition.
Related Brock & Stout resources
Related conditions
Related categories
Related articles
Speak with a Social Security Disability attorney
If Blood Disorders is affecting your ability to work, Brock & Stout can review the claim, look for missing medical evidence, and discuss next steps. If we represent you, you do not owe attorney fees or case costs if the claim is denied.
Prefer to send us your information? Request a case evaluation.
This page is general educational information about Social Security Disability as of the date of this publication. It is not legal or medical advice, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and does not guarantee results. Eligibility depends on individual facts and current Social Security rules.
